Celebrating Thanksgiving with Residents from a Nursing Home

My father turned 77 this year and is celebrating his second Thanksgiving while in the care of a nursing home. It’s been three years since his last time we were able to bring him home for Thanksgiving and he has been missed at family gatherings. He always had great stories to share to his grandchildren of when he was young.

Time does not slow down as we age does it? Thanksgiving is literally one week away already. Most Americans are preparing for a big turkey feast with family and relatives. For some people it means getting up early to drive to Mom’s house while others have to fly across the country to be with family and to make the most out of a four-day weekend. For those with loved ones in nursing homes we have different concerns. Is our loved one in good enough health to even attend with us OR are we going to join them seperately for a mini family get together? Sadly, my father is not in good enough health to be transported by a standard vehicle anymore; of course we do have a great elderly transportation list to assist you in finding transport for your loved one.

Enjoy Thanksgiving with your gentle Elderly

I do like getting together with family and friends to enjoy a great day and most of the time good food. I am not really particular how the turkey is cooked; since I’ve been focused on a healthy lifestyle I’ve learned to only take one plate of food at lunch and prevent myself from grazing.

Assisted Living Facilities and Board and Care Homes operate somewhat differently during the holidays; their residents require care 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which means some caregivers don’t have a long weekend to enjoy with family. Some of the elderly/residents are fortunate to be in good enough health to spend a few hours or the day with family and friends while others are not able to travel and have to stay behind. Good facilities try to create a family experience even for those that have no family visiting. Luckily my dad is in one of those. If you need help choosing a good nursing home check out our guide.

Many facilities don’t know until Thanksgiving Day who is going to stay and who is going to be picked up by family. Once in while they have a family that has things come up the last minute and they are not able to pick up mom or dad which is like telling a little boy or girl that Christmas is not happening; most of them get sad and some more mad at what’s happening. They don’t understand, even the ones that tend to forget because they suffer with Alzheimer’s or Dementia.

Remember if your dad or mom is not quite ready to be picked up when you get there that it’s usually not the facility’s fault. It’s a crazy day for everyone. Mornings are always busy, the caregiver has to get everybody up, even the ones that like to sleep in. Residents have to be dressed, eat breakfast, etc. Some will get picked up for a few hours over lunch while others are going for the afternoon or early dinner. The Nursing Home has to make sure that any resident that is leaving has the proper medication for lunch and or dinner and that the family understands when to give this or that pill. If a mistake is made, responsibility can fall on the nursing home.

This blog was provided by Jason Monroe. Thanks to JRS Medical for continuing to make a difference in the lives of seniors throughout America.